How to Read the American West

by William Wyckoff

2014 · University of Washington Press

From deserts to ghost towns, from national forests to California bungalows, many of the features of the western American landscape are well known to residents and travelers alike. But in How to Read the American West, William Wyckoff introduces readers anew to these familiar landscapes. A geographer and an accomplished photographer, Wyckoff offers a fresh perspective on the natural and human history of the American West and encourages readers to discover that history has shaped the places where people live, work, and visit. This innovative field guide includes stories, photographs, maps, and diagrams on a hundred landscape features across the American West. Features are grouped according to type, such as natural landscapes, farms and ranches, places of special cultural identity, and cities and suburbs. Unlike the geographic organization of a traditional guidebook, Wyckoff's field guide draws attention to the connections and the differences between and among places. Emphasizing features that recur from one part of the region to another, the guide takes readers on an exploration of the eleven western states with trips into their natural and cultural character. How to Read the American West is an ideal traveling companion on the main roads and byways in the West, providing unexpected insights into the landscapes you see out your car window. It is also a wonderful source for armchair travelers and people who live in the West who want to learn more about the modern West, how it came to be, and how it may change in the years to come. Showcasing the everyday alongside the exceptional, Wyckoff demonstrates how asking new questions about the landscapes of the West can let us see our surroundings more clearly, helping us make informed and thoughtful decisions about their stewardship in the twenty-first century. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYSmp5gZ4-I

Mexico and the United States

by William Dirk Raat

2004 · University of Georgia Press

NAFTA, the collapse of the peso, the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, and heightened attention to illegal immigration and the drug trade are just some of the recent issues that are newly interpreted in this updated survey of U.S.-Mexican relations. Ranging from the precontact colonial eras of each country to the present-day administrations of Vicente Fox and George W. Bush, W. Dirk Raat's coverage focuses on the economic, cultural, and political trends and events that have regarded each other over the centuries. Raat pays special attention to the factors that have subordinated Mexico not only to "the Colossus of the North" but to many other players in the global market. He also offers a unique look at the cultural dynamics of Gran Chichimeca or Mexamerica, the borderlands where the two countries share a common history.